Snapshots
by binbokusai OL
Summary: Unrelated collection of one-shots of whatever comes to my mind. 3. The story of Togorou's beginnings (sort of). HijiTae (what else?)
1. Snapshot

**A/N: When it comes to reading, I'm actually a big fan of one-shots. Cos I guess you don't have to wait for an update... I dunoe, there's something about a one-shot that can really shoot you straight to the gut if it's written well. I've read plenty of fantastic one-shots in my time...I still remember some of them. **

**Anyway, yeah. Snapshots of random things, random themes, whatever pops in my mind.. although as I'm obsessed with my OTP right now, my opening one-shot is, predictably, HijiTae. Take it as a companion piece to Timeskip if you wish...**

**Ironically, this first snapshot's title is Snapshot. Or maybe that's not so ironic as it is symbolic.**

**Snapshot**

"Tadaima."

He was greeted with a cool stare.

"You're still up?" he asked, as he removed his boots.

"There isn't a wife in the whole of Japan who would go to sleep before her husband," Tae replied icily.

"I'm sorry," Hijikata said, as he hung his coat. "But I'm not committing seppuku because I was late."

Her glare made it apparent that she thought differently.

It takes a man of real guts to take this woman as a wife, Hijikata briefly thought. He walked over to where his wife was seated behind the kotatsu. "...Here." He held out a paper bag to her.

Tae raised her eyebrow. "Bargain Dash again? Sorry. There is so much Bargain Dash in this house that it has lost its value."

"It's not Bargain Dash. Take a look."

Despite herself, Tae took the paper bag and peered in. A small parcel was inside, wrapped in paper. Taking out the parcel, she started to unwrap it as Hijikata sat down beside her, some way away. He was still wary as to how angry she was and what she might do.

As Tae finally managed to remove all the paper, she stared at the shiny printed box in wonder. "This is..."

"It wasn't easy to get it. They aren't due to be sold to the public until next month...I had to pull all sorts of strings to get it."

Tae looked at him, her eyes wide. "For...me?"

"No, for Sougo," Hijikata deadpanned. "Of course it's for you."

Tae put the box down on the table. And proceeded to fling her arms around her bemused husband.

"Oi. You don't want to try it out?"

"I can do that tomorrow."

"...Really?"

"Okay..." Tae pulled away. "Just a little bit, then." Carefully, she opened the box and withdrew the styrofoam packing that held the pretty metallic pink digital camera.

"It's so cool..." she breathed as she turned it over. "...how do you use it?"

Hijikata chuckled. "Here." Taking the camera, he turned it over. "Hand me the batteries. They're inside the box."

"It uses batteries?"

"Well yeah, it needs power to work, doesn't it?"

"Wow...what kind of pictures can it take?"

"Normal pictures. And moving pictures too."

"Heeeee..." Tae gazed in rapt admiration at her husband who was now popping the batteries in.

"Okay, all set. The on button...yep."

Tae squealed as the camera came to life. Taking it back from Hijikata, her eyes widened as Hijikata materialized in front of her on the preview screen.

"You're here! You're in the camera!"

"Well, not IN the camera...instead of the lens, you just have to look at that screen to see what your photo will be like."

Tae hit the shutter and the on-screen Hijikata froze. "Wow! This is amazing!"

Hijikata leaned over to look. "Oi, delete that. My mouth is open and I look like an idiot."

"I like it," Tae said obstinately. Hijikata sighed but smiled in resignation.

"Let's take a picture!" Tae exclaimed. Leaning towards her husband, she turned the camera around so that the lens faced them instead. "One...two...three!"

They looked at the preview screen.

"Not bad."

"You're not even smiling!" Tae protested. "And half my face is gone."

"Well, hold it more to your side then."

"One more time!" Tae said excitedly.

"Iya, I'm really tired. I had to travel to Akihabara just to get this-"

"Come on! You're such a killjoy..."

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

The front door was ajar, as it always was. Shinpachi took a quick glance at the shoe racks. No boots, as expected.

"Ane-ue!" he called out. "You there?"

"Shin-chan, is that you? I'll be right out. Just doing the dishes. Make yourself at home."

"Jama shimasu," Shinpachi muttered as he entered the washitsu. As he sat down, he spied the digital camera sitting on the table. "Wow! Ane-ue, the whole of Edo has been waiting for this...did Hijikata-nii-sama get this for you?"

"Yup!" Came the reply from somewhere in the house.

"Can I look at it?"

"Sure! Oh wait hang on...let me think..." Shinpachi sweatdropped. "Okay, go ahead. There's nothing in there that you shouldn't see."

"Ane-ue, that kind of comment makes me feel really sick," Shinpachi remarked as he found the camera and turned it on. "Wow! It really does show the picture on the screen, just like the ads said. And you don't have to look through a tiny glass window!"

Shinpachi angled the camera to a shot of the small garden outside, and clicked. The screen froze, showing the picture he had just took.

"Cool..." Shinpachi mumbled to himself, proceeding to test all the buttons. "Oh! This must show all the pictures taken before mine..."

He looked through the pictures idly. They were extremely random. His sister had taken pictures of the kitchen, Hijikata, the living room, Hijikata putting on his boots, the morning's breakfast, Hijikata eating breakfast, the garden, Hijikata...Shinpachi sweatdropped.

Tae finally entered the living room. "Ahh, Shin-chan. What are you doing?"

Shinpachi looked up at her and smiled. "This is a nice picture, Ane-ue." He held up the camera to her.

Tae took the camera from him and looked at the small screen. On it, Tae was grinning at the camera, part of her arm visibly holding the camera away for the shot.

Next to her, instead of looking into the camera, Hijikata was gazing at his wife, an arm slung over her shoulder, a tender expression in his normally cold blue eyes and a half-smile on his lips.

Tae chuckled to herself. "Sou ne."

**fin**


	2. Kataomoi

**A/N: I love unrequited love. Writing about it. **

**Kataomoi**

"Oryou-chan! Today's your turn to take the rubbish out, don't forget!"

"Haaaai..." Oryou called out, although she was grumbling inwardly. She had hoped that they WOULD forget. She made her way to the preparatory area to get the rubbish trolley.

It was nearly 4 a.m. The Snack Smile hostesses had ushered away their last drunk customer, and everyone was cleaning up and getting ready to go home. The streets were quiet and deserted now, save for the occasional drunk meandering aimlessly along the dark alleys.

Oryou wheeled the trolley to the garbage disposal area beside the building where Snack Smile was housed. Humming tunelessly, she unloaded the rubbish bags one at a time, sorting the recyclables and non-recyclables bags.

"Oryou-chan!" Her manager poked his head out the back door. "Could you wheel the trolley out front? I need it for something later."

"Okay," Oryou called back, and dutifully wheeled the trolley out by the front entrance of the building. As she did so, she noticed a tall figure walking down the street towards them. In the dim light of the street lamps, she immediately recognized the mop of straight black hair, the broad shoulders and lean build, as well as the unhurried gait.

She felt her heartbeat quicken.

All the hostesses in Snack Smile - except Tae, who claimed herself to be immune - had a crush on the Vice-Captain of the Shinsengumi to some degree or another. Although he rarely ever stopped by Snack Smile - he only did so when he had official business, usually involving his captain - all hostesses clamored to be the one serving him. Except Tae, since she was the one he always asked for anyway, as all business inevitably involved Tae.

Oryou frowned. What could the Vice-Commander be doing here at such an hour? She squinted. He wasn't in uniform, so that ruled out night patrol.

As he drew closer to the building, his cool metallic blue eyes met Oryou's. Oryou quickly bowed, blushing. "Good eve- I mean, good morning, Hijikata-san!"

"Morning," he said shortly. He stopped some way away from her.

"Um...the Snack Smile is already closed..." Oryou spoke up nervously. _Ugh! This is the stuff your fantasies are made up of, Oryou! A chance to talk to Hijikata-san without Tae coming up in the picture! Make it count!_

"Yeah. I know." He dug around his sleeve for his ever-present pack of cigarettes.

Oryou tried not to hyperventilate. _Just digging around for cigarettes he looks so cool! _she mentally screamed.

"Um..is there anything I can help you with?" Oryou asked, trying to look as sweet and approachable as it was humanly possible beside an empty trolley and a bin full of beer bottles.

Hijikata lit up a cigarette and coolly exhaled smoke into the night air. "It's okay. I'm just waiting for someone. Don't mind me."

"Oh, you're here!"

Oryou turned. Tae had popped out of the entrance and was smiling sunnily. Oryou tried to quell the jealousy that was undoubtedly rising up in her gut. _It's not fair that just because the stupid Gorilla captain stalks her, she gets to spend time with Hijikata-san. Business, my ass._

"Are you done?" Hijikata asked.

"Yep!" Tae turned to Oryou and clasped her hands together. "Gomen Oryou-chan! You don't mind if I go back first, do you?"

"Umm...nope! Sure! Go ahead!" Oryou said, smiling faintly. _As if I could have said I minded._

"Thanks! See you tomorrow!" Tae waved cheerily before walking off with Hijikata.

Oryou turned to go back into Snack Smile.

Then she stopped and stepped back out to spy at the leaving couple, watching silently as Tae said something, laughed, and took hold of Hijikata's elbow. Hijikata looked down at her and said something, causing Tae to suddenly look around furtively.

Oryou quickly stepped behind a tall dustbin to hide herself. Holding her breath, she watched as Tae, finally satisfied that no one was watching, stood on her tiptoes and pecked Hijikata on the cheek.

"Oryou-chan! Where are you!"

Startled, Oryou jumped up and tried to quell the strange mix of emotions now churning inside her. Luckily, Hijikata and Tae were both too far away to notice by now, and as Oryou hurried back inside Snack Smile, she summoned her willpower to force her expression back into its usual, smiling self.

"Coming!"

fin


	3. Togorou

**A/N: HELLO, my lovelies. Yes. I Know. You all want to kill me by now. Please don't. Believe it or not, I have been working on all my fics (depending on what random ideas pop in my head) but you know how perfectionist I am.**

**This one...was a difficult decision to make. Initially written for Timeskip, I decided that this didn't fit in in the general fic flow (if it does, I'll reuse again then. Haha!) so I made the final decision of putting it in as a one-shot. Because this is one of my favourite things I have ever written in my life. I think. And I feel so sad to see it languish here, not knowing whether it will make its debut or not. **

**Anyway, thank you for your patience and this is for all mah HijiTae loverrrrrrrrsssss. **

**Togorou**

Tae awoke as the alarm went off, playing her favourite B'z song (wedding gift). She spent a few moments breathing in her husband's familiar scent as she snuggled up to him, enjoying the warmth and immense feeling of safety and contentment. Then she cautiously pried his arm off her and kissed him on the forehead. She got up slowly, tucking their blankets securely around her husband as he stirred.

Half an hour later, dressed and ready, Tae crawled back onto the futon and began the arduous task of waking her husband up. Well, it wasn't really arduous, as he was not a heavy sleeper. What was arduous was trying to keep herself from snuggling right back into the covers next to her husband. It happened once or twice...a week, but Tae was slowly learning to control herself.

She yanked the covers off. "Good morning dear."

Hijikata opened his eyes. In most circumstances, it would irritate him to have the covers yanked off him so unceremoniously, but because he had already woken up when the irritating B'z song played, he could tolerate it.

"Morning," he mumbled, running his fingers through his mussed up hair. He got up and kissed his wife on the cheek before heading to the bath.

Tae hummed as she busied herself clearing their bedroom, waiting for him to be done. Fifteen minutes later, Hijikata stepped out, clad in a towel around his waist. He headed straight to their dresser area, where Tae had laid out his clothes for him neatly. Tae joined him, towel ready in hand to dry his hair.

After he had gotten dressed in his uniform, Tae held up his overcoat and helped him into it. "I wonder if this is how the Shogun lives," he joked. Tae smacked him on the shoulder and proceeded to fuss over him until she decided he was presentable enough.

"Okay, off you go," she murmured, and followed him out to the entrance hall, where his footwear was lined up neatly waiting for him.

"You know," Hijikata remarked as he laced up his boots. "The officers said the other day that I've been looking very sharp ever since I got married."

Tae pretended to be surprised. "Really! But of course. Look who's your wife!"

Hijikata smirked. "Hai, hai. I feel sharp now, but I feel bad when I come back at the end of the day with all sorts of dreadful stains and dirt on my uniform."

"You should be. I take all morning to clean everything out!" Tae half-complained, half-teased.

"I appreciate it." Before he got up to leave, he leaned over and kissed her. "I'm going now."

"Be careful," she responded, and got up as well, walking him to the boundary of where the Commander's living quarters ended, and the rest of the Shinsengumi compound began.

She waited until he had disappeared from sight, before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast for herself.

Breakfast was followed with household chores (particularly, cleaning and patching up her husband's uniforms). At noon, she left for the Kudoukan dojo.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Shin-chan!" Tae called out as she entered the main training hall. "I'm here already. You can go."

"Ane-ue!" Shinpachi looked round at her, leaving their few students to continue their training. "You're late."

"Sorry Shin-chan. Sougo-kun came by for a chat, I lost track of time."

"Heee... is it his off day?"

"No, but you know him."

Shinpachi sweatdropped. "Anyway, I'll be leaving soon. We have a job!"

"That's great! Is it something dangerous again?"

"Oh no. Just helping out at the new chain store that just opened, they're a bit shorthanded. But Gin-san and Kagura-chan is already there anyhow."

"Oh, do send my regards. Tell them I'm sorry I have to make you stay here and look after the dojo every morning..."

"Stop saying that, Ane-ue. We all agreed on the arrangements before you got married, and we want to support you however we can. Anyway, it's my dojo too and eventually, I'll take over... soon as you let me, anyway."

"Actually, Shin-chan, about that."

Shinpachi blinked. "...you want me to take over it now?"

"Well, Toshirou-san and I was talking about it..." She looked around wistfully at the dojo. "It's really hard for me to let go, but... Toshirou-san and I both are thinking of starting a family, and once that happens..."

Shinpachi stared at his sister before breaking out into a wide grin. "Ane-ue, that's great! We're all wondering when you guys are EVER going to do that. Did you know, Kagura-chan bought baby clothes already..."

Tae smiled but her eyebrow twitched. "Well, anyway. We thought that, once we have a family, I should hand the dojo over to you."

"Well, that's pretty much obvious. It'd be a lot of work if you were looking after a kid and the dojo as well."

"But...what about the Yorozuya?"

Shinpachi shrugged. "I'll manage. Maybe I'll even hire some of our better students. It'll work out, Ane-ue, don't worry. And no matter how many kids you spawn, this dojo is always yours. I mean, if not for you and the fact that you're the wife of the Shinsengumi Commander, we'd have definitely closed down."

Her eyebrow twitched, but she patted her brother's head. "Hai, hai."

"Before I go," Shinpachi spoke up, "when's Hijikata-nii-sama's day off? You better not "forget" to tell me like last time. It was lucky we didn't have any jobs then and I could take care of the dojo."

"Bearing grudges is not healthy, Shin-chan," Tae said serenely. "Well, it's next Wednesday. Or at least, as far as we know...but things are pretty low-key so probably Wednesday it is."

"Okay. Planning anything special?"

"Oh, I thought of going downtown and catching a movie. They're showing Alien 5."

"Alien 5 sucks, Gin-san said. Don't waste your money."

"I'll let Toushirou-san decide. Anyway, shouldn't you be going now?"

"Yeah, I better. See you tomorrow, Ane-ue." With a parting wave, Shinpachi left the dojo.

xxxxxxxxx

Tae hummed as she locked up the dojo and set off for home.

She smiled to herself as she briskly walked. It had been strange during the first few months, but now, a good year into her marriage, she had finally gotten used to thinking of the Shinsengumi compound as her home.

As she approached the walled compound, the wooden gates automatically opened and a guard rushed forward to greet her. "Onee-sama, welcome back."

"Otsukare-sama deshita," she said in reply and bowed, before entering the compound.

Once she was back in their quarters, she set about making dinner and preparing tea for her husband's return. They had agreed that Hijikata would have breakfast with the other officers on working days, as he had to dispense the orders for the respective squads, but would not join them for dinner. Instead, he would return to where his wife waited for him dutifully every evening. In his place, Okita did the daily de-brief.

With a cup of tea/Bargain Dash and Jump, Tae settled down in their main hall, the sliding doors open wide so that she could immediately see her husband returning home, whenever that was. She perked up as she heard the familiar shouts of "Otsukare-sama deshita!" that echoed as the various squads returned from their missions, including her husband.

Hijikata could see his wife as soon as he entered the grounds of the Commander's designated private compound. He could not help but smile. Nobody would have imagined the wife of the Commander passing the time away reading Jump while waiting for her husband's return.

"Tadaima." He sat down to take his boots off.

"Okaeri." Tae put aside her Jump and joined him. Out of the blue, she wrapped her arms around him from behind and hugged him tightly, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Hijikata looked sideways at her. "What's the special occasion?"

Tae grinned at him. "Nothing. Just felt like hugging you once in a while."

"I stink," he deadpanned.

"I know," she replied.

Hijikata kissed her and patted her on her head before getting up. She helped him out of his overcoat and hung it in its usual place by the door, as he strode inside and took his seat, lighting a cigarette.

"I got some bad news," he said casually as he puffed away.

Tae gave him a Look as she set about pouring tea for him. "Again? A meeting?"

"Yeah, it was pretty last minute. We kind of have a situation. I'm really, really sorry."

Tae sighed exasperatedly, but patted his knee. "Fine. Just make it up to me. I want-"

"Bargain Dash, yes ma'am."

"Not just ANY Bargain Dash. There's this limited edition maccha flavour that they just announced."

"Okay. I'll get it."

"And then tomorrow night, no meetings."

"Yes. Unless there's a national emergency, of course."

Tae smiled wryly. "Hai, hai. I'll go run the bath." She pecked him on the cheek and got up.

As he waited for his bath to be ready, Hijikata picked up the papers from where it was neatly folded on the table and skimmed its contents.

A normal, peaceful day in the Hijikata household.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the captains of the Shinsengumi squads conversed in low voices in the main hall, Tae washed up their dinner things, humming to herself. As soon as she was done, she headed to their bedroom to get ready for bed.

"Damn! I left my Jump in the hall," she grumbled. "What am I going to do to stay awake now...Aha! I know. I'll call Shin-chan. Oh wait, I can't, he'll know then that I'm calling because Toshirou's in a meeting, and I can't let that happen. Hmm. Aha. I'll go walk around and chat to Yamazaki-kun for a bit. God knows how long this meeting is going to last."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Otsukare," Hijikata said to the last departing squad captain. Well, second-last. For his Vice Commander, Okita Sougo, was still lounging around in his main hall.

Hijikata stared at him. Okita stared levelly back.

"Sougo, get lost. I want to get some sleep."

"Is Onee-san asleep yet? I miss her."

"Like hell you do," Hijikata snapped. "You see her almost every day. Heck, you just saw her this morning, I know. She told me."

"Ch', I got found out." Okita shrugged. "Sorry, Hijikata-san."

"...huh?"

"I mean, for spoiling the evening..."

Hijikata stared at him. "Sougo, you know full well that this is how our lives are. We have to put our duties before our families."

"Well, yeah I do. I should have made myself clearer." Sougo raised his voice. "SORRY, ONEE-SAN."

"It's okay!" Came the faint reply from somewhere deep inside the house. "Good night, Sougo-kun!"

"Yes, good night, Sougo-kun. I'm giving you five seconds to haul your ass out of my quarters."

Okita stuck his tongue out at Hijikata, but mercifully left.

Hijikata shook his head and got up to secure the front door, before returning to his bedroom.

There, he found his wife sprawled on their futon, reading something. "Oi. You haven't slept yet."

She stared at him. "There isn't a wife in the whole of Japan who goes to sleep before her husband does."

"Really?" Hijikata took off his haori, hanging it up neatly, before he joined his wife on the futon. "What are you reading?"

Hastily, Tae hid it under her pillow. "Have you brushed your teeth?"

"Nope. Lemme see."

Tae squealed and covered her pillow with her body. "No! Brush your teeth first."

"Have _you _brushed your teeth?" Hijikata asked her with a straight face.

"Of course!" She lightly kicked him on his butt. "I'll show it to you after you've brushed your teeth."

Bemused, Hijikata got up and made his way to their bathroom. _If anybody knew that I get my ass kicked daily, they'll never let me live it down, _he thought, and smiled inwardly.

When he left the bathroom, Tae had hidden herself under their covers. He wanted to laugh for some reason, but didn't. Instead, he switched off the lights and turned on the night light.

"Good night," he mumbled as he crawled into the covers next to his wife.

"Good night," Tae chorused. They lay down facing each other, Tae's big brown eyes staring into his metallic blue ones.

"...what?"

"Nothing."

"K. Good night." He reached out to undo her ponytail before drawing her close to him.

"Aren't you mumble mumble?" Tae said, her voice muffled as she snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Hmm?"

Tae looked up at him. "Aren't you going to ask me what book I was reading?"

"What book were you reading?"

Tae pinched him.

"Ow!" With his other hand, Hijikata rummaged around under his wife's pillow and withdrew the book.

"Popular baby names of the 19th century," he read. He put it back. "Hee."

"What do you mean, 'hee'?" Tae reached out to pinch him again, but he quickly caught her hand.

"Don't forget who you're dealing with, my dearest wife," he teased her. "I am the Commander of the Shinsengumi. I am definitely able to fend off most pinch attacks."

Tae's eyebrow twitched as she glared at him. "You are totally spoiling the mood here. And here I was, waiting and waiting for you to come back, to tell you this piece of incredibly important news, and I even waited for you to finish the meeting because, I am, after all, an incredibly understanding wife-"

To shut her up, Hijikata leaned down and kissed her. "Okay. Let's hear it."

Tae scowled momentarily, but even she couldn't hold back anymore. "I'm pregnant!"

Hijikata blinked.

"...Toushirou?" Tae poked him on the cheek. When that elicited no response, she pinched his nose.

Still no response. Tae's eyebrow twitched, but she decided not to punch him.

After a long while, Hijikata finally opened his mouth. "I...I'm going to be a father?"

"Yep!" Tae grinned and snuggled back into his chest again.

"We're gonna have a Togorou?"

This time, Tae really punched him.

"We are NOT calling him Togorou!"

fin

**A/N: Tae might have been a tad too sweet there, but I would like to think that she matured when she got married. A bit. After all, she is a Japanese woman in the 19th century. **

**Or I just read too many shoujo mangas. Hahahahahaha. **


End file.
